Self-locking receptacle.



C. N. FREY.

SELF LOCKING RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.8.1912.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

cairn er CLARENCE N. FREY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SELF-LOCKING REGEPTAGLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, ieis.

Application filed. January 8, 1912. Serial No. 670,082.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE N. FREY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-LockingReceptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to self-locking receptacles, and has for its objectthe provision of a receptacle with means whereby the insertion of thegoods will place locking means therefor in looking relation, so that,when the lid of the receptacle is closed, the same is automaticallylocked.

My invention is applicable to receptacles into which goods are arrangedto be delivered, and is illustrated as a receptacle for receiving milkcontainers.

The invention will be readily understood from the foregoing, and fromthe following description and claim, and from the drawing, in whichlatter:

Figure l is a plan view of my improved device, with the lid partlybroken away, and the milk-bottles shown in the outside cage. Fig. 2 isan end elevation of the case, the casing being shown in section on theline 22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssection of my improveddevice, taken on a line corresponding to the'line 3.3 of Fig. 2, showingthe parts in unlocked relation. Fig. 4: is a similar view of the same,with one end of the same broken away, and the parts in locked relation;and, Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the key of my improved device.

11 represents the casing, which may be of suitable form to receive thearticles for which the same is intended, and may be in one compartment,or divided into a plurality of compartments. I have shown the samedivided into a plurality of compartments 12, by partitions 13.

14: is a lid hinged to the casing by hinges 15.

My invention contemplates the employment of one or more looks. I haveshown two locks 16 employed. When more than one look is employed, Iprefer to interconnect the same, so that when goods are received in thereceptacle at any portion thereof, all the locks will be placed inlocking relation for locking the cover firmly in place when the cover isclosed. In the exemplification of my invention which I have preferred toshow, the lock comprises a bolt 17 shown on a lever 18, shown as abell-crank lever, pivoted at 1-9 to the casing and arranged to cooperatewith a keeper 20 on the lid. The bolt is normally held out of operativerelation with the keeper, which in the present instance is accomplishedby gravity, the lever normally resting against a pin 21. 2a is a leverpivoted at 25 to the casing. 26 is a link articulated with the levers 18and 24 by articulations 27 and 28. 30 is a stirrup pivoted on a pin 31on a bracket 32 secured to the casing at one end of the stirrup. Theother end of the stirrup has connection with the lever 24, as by meansof a bracket-piece 33, articulated to the stirrup 30 by a pin 3-1 and tothe lever 24 by a pin 35. 36 is a metal strap secured to the casing andis preferably located a slight distance above the bottom 37 of thecasing, the strap having a recess 38 therein for receiving the stirrup30, so that when the stirrup is received in the recess the upper facesof the strap and stirrup are substantially level for supporting thepackage,

shown as a bottle 39 for milk, cream, or the like, in upright position.If more than one compartment or more than one locking means is employedfor the receptacle, a stringer 43 is employed which is receivedcrosswise of the compartments under the partitions and articulated asshown by the articulations 44- to the stirrups. The metal straps 36maintain the stirrups and stringer off the bottom 37 of the casing forpreventing indentations of the outer bottom wall of the casing duringuse, and preventing injury to the packages contained in the easing byblows upon said outer bottom, and thereby enable a casing of light metalto be employed. The straps, stirrups and stringer provide narrowsupports for the packages, whereby a low cost of production is assured,and ventilation under the packages is obtained. The articulationsbetween the stirrups and stringer, angLfor mounting the stirrups,further provide ready and cheap means for assembling the parts. I have,as stated, shown two of these locking mechanisms, the elements of whichare designated by similar reference numerals, the locking mechanismsbeing shown as duplicates of each other. I have shown an intermediatecompartment not provided with a lock, although the same is provided witha stirrup 30 articulated to the stringer d3 by a pin 44 for acting onthe locks in the end compartments.

When the article or bottle is placed in the receptacle the weightthereof will depress the stirrup or stirrups and bring the bolts of thelooks into locking position, so that, when shifting of the lid withrelation to the casing, it may be provided with a flange 46 receivedinside the upper edge of the casing. If it is desired to remove thearticle from the receptacle, a key, shown at 4:7 is inserted through aslot l8 in the casing until a recess 49 in the shank of said keyregisters with the wall of said slot, when the inner or releasing end 50of the key will be under the stirrup for raising the same and placingthe bolt or bolts in unlocking relation, the registry of-the recess withthe wall of the slot permitting turning of the key. Upon -removal of thearticle, the bolts will again be maintained in unlocking relation. Eachend wall of the casing may be provided with a slot 48.

53 is a basket secured to the outer face of the casing and arranged toreceive the empty bottles.

Illustrating the application of my improved device to milk-bottles, theempty milk-bottles are arranged to be placed in the basket as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The lid or cover, while it may be in downward position,is, in the absence of the article in the casing, in unlocked relation.When the milk is delivered, the filled bottle or bottles are placed inthe receptacle, thereby placing the keepers of the locks in lookingrelation by reason of the weight of the filled bottles resting on thestirrup or stirrups or the stringer between the stirrups. As soon as abottle is placed in the receptacle, the bolts will be thrown intolocking position, so that,

when the lid or cover is closed, the same will be automatically locked,preventing tampering with, or theft of, the containers or their contentsin the receptacle. This relation of parts is illustrated in Fig. 3. Theemployment of the key will permit ready access to the interior of thereceptacle by the householder.

The receptacle is arranged to be fastened to a wall indicated at 54 bymeans of suitable screws 55 whose heads are located inside thereceptacle. 7

My improved device is preferably constructed of sheet metal throughoutand forms an economical, rigid, and safe receptacle in which the goodsmay be placed and locked without the employment of a key by the onedelivering the goods.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is: r

In a self-locking receptacle, the combination of a casing having anouter bottom wall, a lid for said casing, straps extending next adjacentto but spaced from said outer bottom wall and located inside saidcasing, stirrups loosely pivoted atone of their ends in said casing andextending across said straps and arranged to be depressed into the planeof said straps, a lever in said casing pivoted to the wall of saidcasing adjacent to the bottom of the casing, one end of said leverhaving connection with one of said stirrups for being actuated thereby,a keeper on said lid, a second lever in said casing pivoted to the wallof said casing adjacent to the top of said casing, one end of saidlast-named lever formed as a bolt coacting with said keeper, and anupright link articulated with the other ends of both said levers, andconstructed and arranged for normally retracting said bolt from saidkeeper.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo sub.- scribing witnesses.

. CLARENCE N. FREY.

l/Vitnesses:

EDWARD SOUTHWORTH, THERESA SiLBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe G'ommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

